The Art of Being Used
DISCLAIMER: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended and no funds have been acquired for this work. This is an adult themed story and may contain some of the following: violence, swearing, and strong sexual, and/or adult situations.
SUMMARY: Kabuto Yakushi was comfortable being used. However, what's a spy to do when he finds himself longing to be more than a tool to Orochimaru: a master he knows he must betray?
Chapter 3: Vessel
Kabuto had left in a pique and threw Orochimaru one of the dirtiest looks the older nin had seen from him in a long time. Kabuto had a terrible temper. He rarely showed it in front of Orochimaru but every once in a while he was able to goad it out of him.
Orochimaru pulled his thoughts away from the delectable med nin. It was distracting him and he wasn't quite sure how to handle the new found tension between them. For now, he had work to accomplish before training with Sasuke-kun.
He soon was busy handling various correspondences. After reading one particular scroll, Orochimaru laughed quietly. He wondered what the proper upstanding citizens of Konoha would think if they found out their nighttime fetishes funded one of the most feared criminals of their village. Sealing his reply to the business manager of a chain of very profitable brothels, located throughout the Land of Fire and other countries, Orochimaru's amusement only grew.
How much, exactly, did Jiraiya contribute towards the Hidden Sound each year? Judging from experience, Orochimaru knew it was quite a lot. Jiraiya liked his women. Orochimaru even owned shares in the company that published Icha Icha Paradise.
For that matter, what would the council of the Leaf Village think if they knew that a substantial amount of Tsunade's debt was actually owed to him? Not directly, of course. He conducted business anonymously and through a series of fake personas and intermediaries.
Drinking, gambling, and sex. The three vices of a ninja and each one paid out such wonderful profits. The irony of such a thing was not lost on Orochimaru and he sincerely looked forward to the day when he could tell those hypocritical sanctimonious imbeciles that they had happily funded their own destruction.
The next missive was from the daimyo. Despite the number of citizens Orochimaru used for his experiments, as a whole the Land of Sound had prospered since he had come to power as Kage and Orochimaru intended to use that fact to his advantage. He could become kage and daimyo of an entire country. There was not a single person alive today or even in the past who held that distinction. The thought of all that power sent a pleasurable shiver down his spine. Not even the Hokage of Konoha had such authority. It was a tantalizing prospect and deserved further consideration. For now, he had to placate the current daimyo. His experiments did require a large cash outlay after all.
Finishing up, Orochimaru stretched his muscles before sinking into the earth and then rising inside the mission room of his Hidden Village. He handed the mission scrolls he wanted completed to a very nervous gennin. Returning to the lair he went in search of food and found Sasuke instead.
"Feeling well today, Sasuke-kun?"
"Orochimaru when are you going to train me?"
"Soon, Sasuke-kun. Have you eaten today?"
"Train me now."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. This continuing arrogance from the young man was wearing on his nerves. There was only so much disrespect he would take. Softly, but with enough menace laced in his voice to silence even Sasuke, he spoke, "Patience Sasuke-kun. Patience. That too is a needed skill for a shinobi. Perhaps you could work on that while I enjoy my lunch?"
The younger Uchiha was about to argue, but one look at his increasingly angry sensei and he shut it. Sasuke may be naturally arrogant but he was not stupid. He had only been at Sound for a few months but he knew when he was pushing the Sannin too far.
Orochimaru knew that Sasuke was committed to gaining enough power to kill Itachi, but he also knew that he was a very troubled young man who had just left everything and everyone behind in order achieve his goals. While he knew Sasuke did not regret his decision to leave Konoha, he also knew Sasuke had yet to come to terms with his abandonment of his former home fully.
"Are you sure you do not want to eat, Sasuke-kun? I am going to push you very hard today during training. Afterwards, you have a mission."
Sasuke looked at the Sannin and begrudgingly sat down at an ornately carved two-seat table placed low to the ground in the room. Orochimaru preferred traditional furniture and accessories in his various homes.
Orochimaru looked the young man over pleased he was making some effort to be civil. He had so much potential and would make a wonderful host. Orochimaru had no doubt that given enough time and training Sasuke would surpass Itachi.
Eating his food, Orochimaru attempted to engage the young man in conversation. He wanted to know, besides his all-consuming drive to kill Itachi, what made the boy tick. He had a hunch that despite Sasuke's antisocial tendencies, the teen needed to talk and let some of his angst bleed off.
"Tell me about when you first learned to utilize fire jutsu Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke looked up from his bowl in surprise. He cleared his throat unsure where to begin.
"My father."
"Your father...?"
"Yeah. He decided to show me one day on a whim. Said the Uchiha clan was famous for their ability to manipulate fire. He told me to try it. I did, but I couldn't get the jutsu correct that first time. He walked away disappointed. He was always walking away disappointed from me. Nothing I ever did could compare to what Itachi had already done and was still doing."
"Hm. But, you did produce fire from your chakra on your first attempt didn't you?"
"Yes."
"Very good Sasuke-kun. You were how old at the time?"
Sasuke started at the words of unexpected praise. Praise for a feat he hadn't even been able to perform correctly years ago. "E-Eight."
"Very good indeed. What did you do next?"
Sasuke looked so unsure, so lost, and so eager for such small crumbs of praise.
Orochimaru smiled inwardly, knowing he had found a weakness he could exploit to his heart's content.
"I practiced," Sasuke cleared his throat again, his vocal cords unused to talking, as he had been virtually mute these past few months. "I went out to the lake behind our compound every day after class and practiced until I could perform the Gaton the way my father wanted."
"Determined. I like that. A ninja should always be willing to practice their craft until it is perfected without prodding from others. How long until you could complete the jutsu?"
"Seven days."
Orochimaru's eyes widened. "Very good indeed Sasuke-kun. If you apply the same determination and effort you did to learning Gaton to your new regime, I can promise your growth as a ninja will exceed your wildest expectations. You have a lot of potential Sasuke-kun, more so than Itachi. We just need to bring that potential out of you. It will not be easy, and I am a harsh sensei, but I believe that you have the capability of not only exceeding your brother, but avenging your family with his death as well. It is not going to happen overnight, but it will happen."
Sasuke's dark eyes scanned golden ones for deceit or pity. He found neither. No one in Konoha had ever acknowledged or encouraged Sasuke's need for revenge. They were always telling him to forget about it, to move on with his life. Even Kakashi, who said he too had lost everyone he cared about, had never truly understood Sasuke's soul-consuming desire to avenge his family's killer with his bare hands. It was the only reason he had even woken up from that fateful day, the only reason he was still alive. It gave him purpose. It was something Sasuke needed to do. Not even making new bonds could erase his need to satiate the spirits of his old ones. No one had ever truly understood that.
Until now. A sense of gratitude washed over him. Not even Kakashi saw what beat in Sasuke's heart. No one did, except for Orochimaru.
Sasuke stood up, finished with his meal. "I'll be practicing on training ground three." He looked at the man before leaving the small kitchen. "I used to want to rebuild my clan as well. But that desire was never as strong as the desire to kill Itachi...," Sasuke's voice trailed off, remembering what he had found hidden in the temple Itachi told him about.
"Now, that no longer matters. Train me, help me get the point where I can kill that bastard, give me power, and I'll give up my body willingly. But, I have to be the one who kills him. Not you in my body, me; I have to kill him. You can have this body afterwards."
Orochimaru smiled slowly, his tongue dipping out to lick at his lips. "Hai. We are on the same page then. I will meet you on shortly. I want you to work on your speed while you are waiting for me," he instructed, dismissing the younger nin.
Orochimaru watched his next vessel give a curt nod and exit. He could picture taking the Uchiha's flesh for his own. After waiting so long, the Sharingan was finally within his grasp. Yes, Sasuke-kun would make a fine container, perhaps the most powerful one he had ever transferred into.
Finishing his meal, Orochimaru leisurely made his way to the training ground. Given enough time, he would have Sasuke wrapped around his fingers, exerting more influence on the boy than even Itachi did. Time, it would just take time and patience. For now, Orochimaru contented himself with watching Sasuke train alone, assessing his strengths and weaknesses.
Several grueling hours later Sasuke Uchiha dropped to the ground, beaten and bloody.
"How disappointing Sasuke-kun. You are too slow. We will be working solely on your speed for the time being. Speed is what will keep you alive against your brother. If you cannot dodge or attack, you will die. I want you to run fifty laps every night around this track with weights on. When you can complete this circuit, carrying an additional one hundred pounds, I will teach you a new jutsu."
Sasuke tried to speak but couldn't form words. Instead, he nodded, blood dripping into his eye.
"You did not do too poorly. Get yourself to the medical ward. Kabuto is out on a mission, so you will have to find someone else to patch you up. No pain medication. I want you to be able to endure pain. Afterwards, come back to see me. I have a special mission for you."
A very faint whisper answered the Sannin. "H-hai."
Orochimaru left, unconcerned that his protégé was broken and bleeding on the ground. Sasuke would toughen up. Besides, pain was good. Pain taught, it motivated, it informed, and most of all, it let you know you were still alive. A little pain was a good thing.
Sasuke finally managed to pull himself off the ground. There wasn't a muscle in his body that wasn't screaming at him in agony. His ankle was sprained and Orochimaru had broken his right wrist. He had so many cuts and abrasions he was a walking bloodbath. Still, Sasuke had never felt so satisfied after a training session. Not in Konoha and certainly not for the first few months he had been here.
Orochimaru really hadn't gone easy on him today. He had taken him seriously after their chat during lunch and ran Sasuke ruthlessly into the ground. Sasuke smiled through a split lip. This was power.
Limping to the med ward, Sasuke couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement among the agonizing pain. He had meant every word he said to the snake. In exchange for showing Sasuke how to become powerful, the older ninja could keep this useless lump of flesh.
All Sasuke wanted was the ability to kill Itachi. He smiled, an eerie sight on his abused face, and ordered the medic to bandage him up and heal his wrist but no pain medication. If Orochimaru wanted him to endure pain then endure pain he would.
When he was cleaned up, Sasuke made his way to Orochimaru's study. He wasn't there. Had the man told him where he wanted Sasuke to meet him? Sasuke thought back and realized that Orochimaru had not specified a location.
'Hn, a test then.'
Sasuke stalked after his sensei, determined to show the man he had some skills in his arsenal. So, it was a little humbling to finally collapse against a tree in the forest outside the lair after an hour of searching, and hear his voice without him sensing the man's presence at all, not even his chakra.
"Are you looking for someone Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke glared.
"I see we will have to add tracking and chakra sensing to the list of skills you will be working on. Deliver this scroll to the Village. It is vitally important. If you fail, I will make sure you are incapable of walking for the next month. More importantly, however, do not get caught. You are a wanted nin now Sasuke. If someone from Konoha sees you, you must be prepared."
Sasuke took the scroll from Orochimaru while listening to the man and read over the mission objectives. He looked up at the man's last words and became frightened despite himself. There were times when the Otokage just did not look human; especially when he allowed his purple chakra to swirl around him. Now was one of those times. He was very serious about this scroll. Sasuke looked down again at the scroll in his hand before raising his gaze back to those serpentine eyes. He nodded.
Orochimaru studied him for a few moments. "I mean this Sasuke-kun. I will break every bone in your body should you fail. This is an A-ranked mission. Treat it as such. I expect you back in two days."
Sasuke looked down at the document in his hand and back at Orochimaru. The briefest of smiles flickered across his face and he speed away with a curt nod.
It was later that night, when Orochimaru was preparing for bed, when he heard the alarm sound. He growled, annoyed that his sleep was interrupted and since Kabuto was away on a mission knew he would have to deal with the situation personally. He moved towards the entrance and pulled up short when he recognized the chakra signature.
"Orochimaru-sama! There's an intruder in the base!"
Orochimaru glared at the young chuunin. "Call off the alarm. I know who it is. Tell everyone else to make sure the perimeter is secure. I'll meet this person myself!"
"Hai, my lord," the chuunin squeaked and quickly scurried away to follow his Kage's orders.
Orochimaru analyzed the chakra signature and noticed its extreme instability. It should have taken Kabuto at least twenty-four hours before he was back! Orochimaru hurried towards the outer antechamber. Turning the corner he stared dumbfounded at the man before him.
Kabuto, his right-hand man and most trusted adviser, looked dead on his feet. His clothing was torn, he was cut, bruised, and clotted blood hung on every surface of his person, even matting his hair.
Kabuto smirked at him. Smirked at him! "Did I make it in time to help with your experiment tonight, Orochimaru-sama?"
Orochimaru gaped, incredulous. Five seconds later Kabuto's chakra spiked and he dropped to the floor, unconscious.
Orochimaru surged forward and caught Kabuto before he hit the ground. Picking the abused ninja up, he flashed into the medical ward at speeds that would rival the Fourth Hokage.
Disturbed, he tried to stabilize Kabuto's fluctuating chakra levels while a flurry of medics barked orders and hooked up various machines to the young man. Staring down at Kabuto, Orochimaru poured his own chakra into the medic. He glared at the huddle of doctors surrounding the two ninja.
"If he dies, none of you will leave this room alive."
